Have you ever thought about the consequences of eating junk food while you are eating them? When you have a mouthful of a juicy burger or greasy fries, it is easy to feel like you are in food heaven where health concerns do not exist. It certainly makes the meal more enjoyable. At the Heart Attack Grill, however, you are not going to have that luxury. At this hospital-themed restaurant, you are constantly reminded why you should not indulge in the high-caloric, greasy food. You might wonder who would visit such a morbid place. You would be surprised to know that this Vegas-based restaurant is highly popular and has a loyal following.
The restaurant was originally founded in Arizona by a former nutritionist. After six years in operation, it was moved to Las Vegas.
Founded in 2005, the Heart Attack Grill was first opened in Tempe, Arizona. Their motto was to serve what they called “nutritional pornography.” “Doctor” Jon Basso, the founder and owner, was a nutritionist by trade, and he also used to work with Jenny Craig, the popular weight-loss and nutrition company. Believe it or not, he actually came up with the idea for the restaurant while conducting a marketing study for a fitness-training studio. He became inspired by the stories of clients who went to great lengths to cheat on their diets.
In May of 2011, a second Heart Attack Grill opened in Dallas Texas. On the 31st of the same month, the Arizona restaurant closed down. In October of 2011, after less than six months, the Dallas location closed down because it was unable to make enough money to keep their doors open. All mentions of the Dallas location was deleted from the restaurant’s official website. Finally, in October 2011, the third version of the Heart Attack Grill opened in Las Vegas, and it is successfully running to this day.
The Heart Attack Grill is famous for its hospital theme, and the brand goes to great lengths to maintain it. Waitresses dress up in seductive nurse costumes and take orders on “prescriptions.” The customers become patients, and each “patient” gets a hospital gown and wrist band, which they have to wear before ordering their meal. Those who fail to finish their meal get paddled by the “nurses.” You also have the option of buying the paddle afterward. Those who weigh over 350 lb or 160 kg get free meals. However, you would first have to pass a “weighing test.”
Being an American hamburger joint, the Heart Attack Grill serves burgers, fries, and all that common stuff. However, their gigantic preparations are what sets them apart. All of their food items are high in fat and calories. From Single and Double to Triple and Quadruple, their Bypass-Burgers come in all shapes and sizes. They even have an “Octuple-Bypass” hamburger! The burger patties are made of  8 to 32 oz of beef, and the restaurant also offers all-you-can-eat fries that are fried in pure lard. They offer tequila and beer along with non-alcoholic beverages such as Mexican Coca-Cola. Customers can also buy cigarettes, and children can enjoy candy cigarettes.
Sharing food and takeaways are not allowed. The Heart Attack Grill also hosts many food challenges. One of their popular challenges includes the Quadruple- or Triple-Bypass Burger. Winners of the challenge get to sit in a wheelchair, and a “personal nurse” wheels them to their car.
Many patrons of the Heart Attack Grill have gotten seriously ill while eating at the restaurant.Image credits: Heart Attack Grill
The restaurant has made headlines several times for making their customers sick. As the name suggests, the Heart Attack Grill has actually contributed to actual heart attacks! Many of its regular customers are morbidly obese, and several of them have suffered cardiac arrest while enjoying their burgers, beers, and cigarettes. Some have even passed away as a result of having such high-caloric food!
